possible to withdraw in “Reais” the necessary amount to continue your trip comfortably. 24 hour banking: BANCO DO BRASIL, HSBC, CITIBANK, BRADESCO and ITAÚ. For this operation you need your PIN NUMBER.
DRESS CODE Rio is very informal. However, coat and tie for business, dark suit and cocktail dress for formal occasions. Saturday is the exception, when men wear open-necked shirts and no tie even to five-star restaurants. For women, we would suggest a smart-casual.
The best buys are jewelry, leather and handicrafts. In terms of jewelry Brazil is the main miner of COLORED PRECIOUS GEMS in the world: Emeralds, Aquamarines, Topazes, Amethysts, and Tourmalines. But remember that buying jewelry is an investment, which should be done with a necessary recommendation of confidence. Bargaining is not practiced in shops, but when paying cash you usually get a discount. You may bargain though at the Hippie Fair.
Purchase stamps and mail letters preferably at postoffices (CORREIOS). Delivery is slower from yellow mailboxes in streets and hotels.
The RIO SUL SHOPPING CENTER consists of four floors, housing hundreds of shops and several restaurants. A FREE BUS service connects Rio Sul with the length of Av. Atlântica every hour. Please contact the front desk of your hotel regarding to the bus schedule.
SHOPPING
SAFETY AND SECURITY
POSTAGE
For shopping, Rio de Janeiro is the right place to find almost everything you can imagine in any one of thousands of shops, from the most sophisticated jewelry and clothing boutiques to the street-markets stands. Large concentrations of shops and stores are located in Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon and in the downtown area. If you are interested in popular art, do not miss the picturesque “Feira de Arte Popular” or “The Hippie Fair” held on Sundays at General Osório Square in Ipanema.
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As in any city in the world of the size of Rio de Janeiro, the key to an uneventful stay is to protect yourself from pickpockets and carry as little cash and as few valuables as possible. The Rio de Janeiro military police and the municipal guard corps have stations and reporting centres. In case of need, do contact the hotel Front Desk for guidance and assistance.
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